The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has directed Peshawar’s district health officer to strengthen surveillance and take preventive measures against chikungunya. The directive was issued after six cases of the mosquito-borne disease were confirmed in the provincial capital.
In a letter to the Peshawar DHO, the public health director at the Directorate General of Health Services, Dr. Irshad Roghani, reported that 23 suspected chikungunya cases were sent to the Public Health Reference Laboratory at Khyber Medical University and six tested positive.
The confirmed cases, including one woman, are from Peshawar. The health director stressed urgency and called for investigations and an immediate response to safeguard public health.
Chikungunya poses a significant health risk, requiring coordinated efforts to contain its spread, he noted. The DHO has been asked to submit a detailed report on investigations, surveillance, and responses taken.
Three field epidemiologists have been deployed to support district health teams in diagnosing and managing cases. An advisory was also issued to DHOs, public health coordinators, and entomologists, urging steps to prevent chikungunya’s spread during the active mosquito season.
The advisory emphasized identifying and confirming cases, eliminating mosquito breeding sites, and using larvicides in water pools. Physicians have been informed about chikungunya’s symptoms, including sudden fever, headache, nausea, joint pain, and rashes.
There is no specific treatment or vaccine for chikungunya. Patients are advised to rest, stay hydrated, and use acetaminophen for symptom management.
